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   Baking is never easy for me, but I have gracefully tackled the frustration with the can-do attitude and finally made myself some delicious cookies. I feel proud for myself not only just for the secret recipe for the crisp chocolate chip cookies, but also for not giving in to any possible challenges and eliciting the best solutions.  

   The D-day for making my perfect chocolate chip cookies had arrived. The oven timer beeped, and I wished for a clear-cut victory. As I opened the oven, a burnt smell immediately wafted into the kitchen. I was shocked. I did follow the recipe, “bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 C.” I used a chopstick and poked the cookie several times. It felt rock hard on the sides but super soft in the middle. I gently touched the cookie with my hands, trying to pick it up. Ouch! The cookie was still burning hot and sticking on the parchment paper. I took out another chopstick and used the pair to flip the cookie. As I slowly flipped the cookie over, all I could see was a dark brownish base with a burnt odor coming from it. This was definitely a failure. I turned the cookie back with a sigh. However, I didn’t toss the cookies into the trashcan and felt lame about the results. I decided to grab a knife and cut the cookie in half. Oh no. The batter in the middle was still raw and wasn’t heated fully. 

   I knew this was not what I expected and had to find out the problem. I tasted the cookie. The flavor was just right. It wasn’t too sweet but still had the aroma of melted chocolate and brown sugar. After the evaluation, I realized that it must be the baking time’s issue because my batter tasted wonderfully perfect. After taking all the burnt cookies off the parchment paper, I tried to bake another patch of cookies again. This time, I changed the time to 12 minutes at 180 C. Time passed by as I waited anxiously, hoping I would succeed this time. The oven timer beeps after exactly 13 minutes and I carefully opened the oven. Phew. The burnt smell wasn’t as much as the first try. I took out the bakeware and placed it on a tray. However, as I tried to pick the cookie up from the parchment paper using a chopstick, I realized it was too soft to even take it up. The batter wasn’t fully cooked at all and would break apart easily. I shrugged in silence and thought it was impossible to succeed and perhaps I was not talented in baking. The last shot is the last shot. This time, I still baked for 12 minutes but left the cookies in the oven for 5 more minutes of carryover baking. I tapped my foot, waiting impatiently, until the time was up. I opened the oven as a chocolate-sugary smell bursted into the kitchen. I placed the bakeware on the tray and cautiously used a chopstick to move it. Finally, this time, it stayed in seamlessly perfect shape and had no burnt base anymore. To confirm the long wanted result, I nervously cracked the cookie into half. It was soft but with the perfect softness. Melted chocolate dripped down as I split it into half. Every single part of the batter was cooked perfectly and the smell was just too alluring. 

    Nothing is impossible. From this experience I’ve learned to never give up on something before you even try it multiple times. When my cookies had a strong burning smell, I almost gave up, which was not a wise thing to do. If I never kept trying, I would never have been able to achieve the nearly perfect chocolate cookie I was anticipating. I am proud of myself that I didn’t let myself down and improved each time I tried until perfection. 

    “Ever failed, ever tried, no matter, try again.” Failing is just an obstacle that you will always meet during your journey towards success. Giving up is not an option during failure. I feel proud not only because of the chocolate cookie but also the spirit of continuing to try and not letting myself down.